Google Workspace: Retain Files After Collaborators Leave the University
After non-emeritus faculty, staff, and students depart the University, their UMN email and Google Workspace will be closed and the contents within will be deleted—including the accounts of people who retire or graduate. For collaborators who remain at the University who need to retain files created by people who have left, it is important to
- Understand the difference between files shared from an individual’s Google My Drive and files shared in a Google shared drive.
- Be aware of timelines for account transitions and closures, shared file availability, and deletion.
- Learn how to retain files before an account is closed, and if necessary, after an account is closed.
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Google Shared Drive vs. Google My Drive
Google offers two ways to create, share, and store files: Google shared drive and Google My Drive. Files stored in a Google shared drive will require no action to be retained when individuals leave the University. Files that were created and/or stored in a person’s Google My Drive will be deleted after an account is closed, and will therefore require action if they are to be retained.
Read Compare Google shared drive and Google My Drive or watch an informational recording. (9:06)
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Transition and Closure, My Drive Shared File Access, & Deletion Timelines
After you leave the University, you will retain access to your account for a period of time that is determined by one's role (faculty/staff or student) and affiliation with the Health Care Component. This is considered your "transition" period. If an individual has multiple roles (i.e., they are both a faculty/staff member and a recent student), they will receive the transition period associated with the "recent student" role, which gives the individual a longer transition period. See details in the tables below.
Note: People who left the University before May 31, 2024 are considered the legacy/transition population. See Changes to Email and Google Workspace to see account closure timelines for people who left the University before May 31, 2024.
Account Timelines Details
Health Care Component Timelines
The transition period is defined as the period of time after someone has left the University, and continues to have access to UMN email and Google Workspace.
After the transition period ends, the UMN email and Google Workspace account is closed and can no longer be accessed by the account owner. Files shared from that account’s My Drive will remain available to people with whom they are shared for an additional 120 days. After an additional 61 days have passed (totaling 181 days after the account is closed), the account’s Google email and Workspace will be permanently deleted.
Details for the Health Care Component are below.
| Role | Transition Period | Google My Drive Shared Files Available to Collaborators | Google Workspace Contents Deleted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recent Student | 30 days | 30+120 days | 30+181 days |
| Non-Emeritus Faculty or Staff | Up to 1 day | 1+120 days | 1+181 days |
| Non-Emeritus Faculty or Staff and Recent Student | 30 days | 30+120 days | 30+181 days |
Non-Health Care Component Timelines
The transition period is defined as the period of time after someone has left the University, and continues to have access to UMN email and Google Workspace.
The transition period for UMN email and Google Workspace for people who are not in the Health Care Component is below. After the transition period ends, the UMN email and Google Workspace account is closed and can no longer be accessed by the account owner.
Files shared from that account’s My Drive will remain available to people with whom they are shared for an additional 120 days. After an additional 60 days have passed (totaling 181 days since the account closed), the account’s Google email and Workspace will be permanently deleted.
| Role | Transition Period | Google My Drive Shared Files Available to Collaborators | Google Workspace Contents Deleted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recent Student | 365 days | 365+120 | 365+180 days |
| Non-Emeritus Faculty or Staff | 21 days | 21+120 days | 21+180 days |
| Non-Emeritus Faculty or Staff and Recent Student | 365 days | 365+120 days | 365+180 days |
Retain Google My Drive Files Shared with You
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Before Collaborators Leave or During their Transition Period
The individual who is leaving should either:
move files that should remain at the University to a Google shared drive; or
transfer ownership of files or folders to a person who is an active faculty, student, or staff member.
Follow steps found in the Prepare University Data for Your Transition section of the Leaving the University self-help guide.
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Retain Access to Files After their UMN Google Account is Closed
After their transition period is over, the owner of the UMN Google account will no longer have access to their UMN Google email or Workspace, at which time, they can no longer transfer ownership or move files.
If the account owner shared documents with collaborators from their Google My Drive, the people with whom the files were shared can make a copy of the file for up to 120 days after the account is closed. Files that are stored in Google shared drives require no action to be retained by the University.
To avoid issues with version control and to responsibly use University storage resources, please coordinate making copies with others with whom the files are shared.
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Find Files Shared with You that are Scheduled to be Deleted
After a person's UMN Google Workspace account is closed, the account owner name will appear in UMN Google with the prefix "Deletion Pending."
To find all files shared with you that are scheduled to be deleted use Google's filters and search.
- Navigate to drive.google.com (Make sure you are signed in to your UMN Google Account and not a personal Google account).
- From the left navigation menu, select Shared with me.
- From the top of the screen, click the People button.
- In the Search for people and groups search field, type "Deletion" (without quotes).
- Review files that are shared with you that are pending deletion and make copies of files that should be retained.
- Avoid versioning issues and ensure responsible use of University resources by coordinating with your team or others with whom the files are shared. Make a plan for who will make copies of the needed files and where they will be stored. Consider using Google shared drives for files that need to be retained by the University after a person leaves.
Glossary of Terms
- Emeritus faculty: Faculty with emeritus status are granted continued access to University systems, including email and Google Workspace. See University Faculty emeriti policy.
- Health Care Component: For people who work and study in the Health Care Component, there are special restrictions in place to ensure that Personal Health Information (PHI) is protected. See the University's Health Information Compliance Office website for information about HIPAA and the units included in the Health Care Component.
- Recent Student: A recent student is defined as someone who enrolled in the most recent semester, but has not enrolled in the upcoming semester, excluding Summer Term.
- Transition Period: A transition period is granted to accounts based on a person's role and affiliation with the Health Care Component. After the transition period ends, the account is closed and the account owner no longer has access to files.